National Phi Zeta Awards Guidelines 2014

About the Awards: The objectives of the Society of Phi Zeta are to recognize and promote scholarship and research in matters pertaining to the welfare and diseases of animals. Pursuant to that objective, a National Phi Zeta Award consisting of a plaque and a check for $1000 was established in 1978. Currently, two awards are given: one recognizing an outstanding manuscript submitted for competition in the basic research category, and one recognizing an outstanding manuscript submitted in the clinical / applied research category. Recognizing that the distinction between basic and clinical (applied) research may not always be clear, the author or nominator should designate the category in which the paper is to compete. The awards committee will use as a guide the NIH definition of clinical research (with the word human being replaced by animal): research which is patient-oriented and thus involves animals [humans] (or tissues of animal [human] origin), but not tissues that cannot be linked to a living animal (e.g., in vitro studies). Clinical research thus would include clinical trials, epidemiologic studies, and studies that focus on the mechanisms of disease, and studies (including clinical trials) that focus on a diagnostic or therapeutic intervention.

Eligibility: Each Phi Zeta chapter may sponsor up to two candidates – one for each of the awards described above. The candidates need not be Phi Zeta members but must beveterinarians involved in a graduate or residency program within the past 2 years. A student in a veterinary-science department from an institution with no Phi Zeta chapter may submit a manuscript to a nearby chapter for consideration. To be considered eligible, the sponsored candidate must be the first author of the selected manuscript, and the manuscript must be accepted for publication, or published, in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. A letter verifying acceptance by the journal must be included with the submission(s). Further selection criteria may be established by the local chapter.

Manuscript Submission: Each chapter may submit one (1) copy of each of the selected manuscripts by electronic mail by Monday (5 pm CST), February 10, 2014. Submission through regular mail is strongly discouraged unless electronic submission is not possible. In such circumstances, 5 copies of the original manuscript must be received by mail or courier by Friday (5 pm CST), February 7, 2014. Submissions should be made to the Chair of the National Phi Zeta Award Committee for distribution to Awards Committee members. A letter of nomination should accompany the manuscript and is to include the qualifications of the first (submitting) author (including degrees), evidence of acceptance for publication if not already published, and the category (basic versus clinical) in which the manuscript is to compete. The Chair will send an acknowledgment return email upon receipt of the manuscript. For manuscripts that can not be sent electronically, good quality photocopies of charts, line drawings, or other illustrations may be substituted for original prints. Original material will not be returned to the candidate unless specifically requested, clearly marked to that effect, and accompanied by a self-addressed, pre-paid mailer. Materials will be returned after selection of the award recipients, which will occur around mid-April, 2014. Winning manuscripts will be kept on file by the Awards Committee chairperson.

Award Selection: Recipients of each award will be selected by the National Phi Zeta Awards Committee. This committee is comprised of five Phi Zeta members from institutions with Phi Zeta chapters. Each member serves a 5-year term, ascending to the chair position in the terminal year of committee appointment. The committee members will fulfill their terms on the committee even if they leave the institution or chapter. The winning manuscripts will be selected on the basis of originality, scientific significance of the work, relevance to veterinary medicine, quality of the study performed, and clarity of the writing, tables and illustrations. If, in the collective judgment of the Awards Committee, none of the submissions in one or both categories meets the Committee’s criteria for excellence in that category, the Committee has the prerogative not to name a winner for that year.

Award Presentation: The awards will be presented by the National President of Phi Zeta (or designee) at the sponsoring Phi Zeta chapter’s initiation ceremony, awards banquet, or other appropriate gathering.